Olympus E-30 vs Panasonic ZS7

In this write-up, we are looking at the Olympus E-30 vs Panasonic ZS7, one is a Advanced DSLR and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by brands Olympus and Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the E-30 (12MP) and the ZS7 (12MP) is very similar but the E-30 (Four Thirds) and ZS7 (1/2.3") enjoy different sensor dimensions.

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The E-30 was released 3 years prior to the ZS7 which is quite a large gap as far as tech is concerned. Both of these cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-30 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Panasonic ZS7 being a Compact camera.

Before going straight into a in depth comparison, below is a brief summary of how the E-30 grades vs the ZS7 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus E-30 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7. The complete galleries are available at Olympus E-30 Gallery and Panasonic ZS7 Gallery.

For anyone who is looking to carry around your camera often, you should factor in its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-30 comes with physical dimensions of 142mm x 108mm x 75mm (5.6" x 4.3" x 3.0") with a weight of 695 grams (1.53 lbs) and the Panasonic ZS7 has measurements of 103mm x 60mm x 33mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.3") accompanied by a weight of 218 grams (0.48 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-30 vs Panasonic ZS7 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you have at that time. Following is the front view dimensions comparison of the E-30 and the ZS7.

Using size and weight, the portability rating of the E-30 and ZS7 is 60 and 91 respectively.

In many cases, it's difficult to imagine the gap between sensor sizes just by going over technical specs. The image below will give you a far better sense of the sensor sizes in the E-30 and ZS7.

As you have seen, both of the cameras offer the same exact resolution but different sensor sizes. The E-30 has got the larger sensor which should make obtaining shallower depth of field simpler. The more aged E-30 is going to be disadvantaged with regard to sensor technology.